Railroad-switch.



PATENTED 0013.17 1905. No 302,236 L M. POWELL RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAYll 1905 'vide a construction of switch which dispenses Flo. 802,236.

$pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1905.

Application filed May 11, 1905. Serial No. 259,923.

To (ti/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MAUnIon POWELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stockton, in the county of Tooele and State of Utah, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a railroad-switch of exceedingly simple, durable,and economic construction which can be operated with the least possible trouble and which is not liable to become clogged in wintry weather and is also not liable to get out of order.

Another purpose of the invention is to prowith frogs and guard-rails and to provide very simple and efiective means for mounting and operating the switch-rail, which rail is practically a section of the main line.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to'be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi' cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of the main line and siding and the improved switch applied, a portion of the covering for the switch operating mechanism being broken away and the switch being shown set for the main line in full lines and as thrown for the siding in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken practically on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

A and A represent the rails of the main line, and B and B the rails of the siding. Adjacent to where the inner rail B of the siding and the inner rail A of the main line converge a turn-table C is located, which turn table in its detail is best shown in Fig. This turn-table or pivoted saddle consists of a bed-piece 10, which is countersunk in a tie 11 to such an extent that its upper face is flush with the upper face of the tie, and in said bed-piece 10 a circular chamber 12 is formed open at the top. In this chamber 12 a circular plate 18 is mounted to turn. This revoluble plate is prevented from leaving the said chamber 12 by securing cover-plates 1a at the upper portion of the bcd-piece 10, which coverplates extend over the revoluble plate 13. The opposing edges of the cover-plates 14: are inclined in opposite directions from a point at or near their centers, so as to produce between them an opening 15, which is widest at its outer portions and is narrowest at its central portion, as is best shown in Fig. 1.

The heel portion of the switch-rail D is made to enter the opening 15 and to extend across the revoluble plate 13 of the turn-table or pivoted saddle and is secured to said revoluble plate 13 by means of bolts 16 or their equivalents. The heel portion of the switch rail D is opposite and adjacent to the inner rail A of the main line Where the said rail is broken for the junction of the siding, and the on the main line somewhat in advance of the switch-target E, employed in connection with the switch. This cover-plate 17 is provided with a curved transverse slot 18, as is best shown in Fig. l, and the switch-rail D has play over the upper face of the said cover-plate 17. 8 5

The-switch-rail D is operated as follows: A lever 19 is pivoted at one end to the switchrail 1) at a point between its center audits free end, the pivot-pin extendingup through the slot 18, and the pivot-pin 21 of the lever 19 is located between its center and its free end, and at the free end of the lever 19 an elongated metal loop 20 is provided, as is best shown in Fig. 1. In connection with the lever 19 a second lever 22 is pivoted at one end to a convenient tie, as is shown at 23 in Figs. 1 and 2, and the opposite end of this second lever 22 is provided with a pin 24, which extends down loosely into the elongated loop 20 of the lever 19. with the switch-target by a connecting-bar 24 of any approved type.

It will he observed from the character of the switch described and the operating mechanism connected with it that the switch-rail can I 5 be thrown quickly and with comparative ease, a slight movement at the switch-target producing quite an extended movement of the switchrail. It will also be observed that all of the operative parts provided for the switch-rail 1 I) are fully protected.

It may be here remarked that where the The switch-rail l.) is practically a sec- 75 This second lever 22 is connected I60 1. In railroadswitches, the combination;

with the rails of the main line and the rails of a siding, of a switch-rail constituting substantially a section of a rail of the main line, a turn-table to which the heel end of the switch-rail is secured, said turn-table comprising a bed-piece, a revoluble plate mount+ ed in the bed-piece, and cover-plates securing the revoluble plate in the bed-piece, and means for shifting the said switch-rail.

2. In railroad switches, the combination with the rails of the main line and the rails of a siding, of a turn-table or pivoted saddle located adjacent to the junction of the inner rails of the siding and the main line, which turn-table or pivoted saddle consists of a bed piece, a plate mounted to turn in the bed-piece, and cover plates which are secured to the bedpiece and extend over the rotary member, the said cover-plates having an angular opening between them, a switch-rail constituting a portion of the inner rail of the main line, one end of said switch-rail being secured to the rotary member of the turn-table or pivoted saddle, the other end of the said switchrail being *Eeveled upon both sides, a lever fulcrumed between its center and one end, which lever at its longer end is attached to the said switch-rail, being provided at its shorter end with an elongated slot, a second lever pivoted at one of its ends and having sliding connection at its opposite end with the first-named lever, a switch-target, and a connection between said target and the lever which is fulcrumed at one end.

3. In railroad-switches, the combination with the rails of the main line and the rails of a siding, of a turn-table or pivoted saddle located in front of the inner rails of the main line and siding where they converge, said turn-table or pivoted saddle consisting of a bed-piece provided with a circular chamber open at the top, a circular member mounted to turn in the said chamber, and cover-plates secured to the bed-piece and extending over the said revoluble member, a space intervening the inner edges of the said cover-plates, the inner edges of the cover-plates being inclined in opposite directions from a central point, a switch-rail constituting a continuation of the inner rail of the main line, which switch-rail is secured to the revoluble member of the turn-table or pivoted saddle within the space between the cover-plates of said turn-table, a lever fulcrumed between its center and one end, the longer end of which lever is secured to the said switch rail, the shorter end of the lever being provided with an elongated opening, a second lever pivoted at its end, being provided with a pin at its opposite end which extends down through the slot in the first-named lever, a switch-target, and a bar connecting the said switch-target with the central portion of the lever which is pivoted at the end portion, substantially as described.

4. In railroad switches, the combination with therails of the main line, one of said rails having a pivoted section forming a switchrail, and the rails of a siding, of cover-plate extending over the ties and upon which the switch-rail moves, and means arranged below the cover-plate for operating the switch-rail.

5. In railroad -switches, the combination With the rails of the main line and siding, and a pivoted switch-rail, of a cover-plate secured upon the ties and upon which the switch-rail moves, said plate being provided with a curved transverse slot, a lever pivoted between its ends and having one end pivoted to the switchrail, the pivot projecting through the slot of the cover-plate, and means for operating said lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MAURICE POIVELL.

WVitnesses:

JAMES B. HIoxMAN, JAMES G. BROWN. 

